Anything can happen
by RoseTylerforevermore
Summary: when Amelia is forced into the hunger games she shuts her heart to every one but is it possible that someone is able to break down that wall R&R please special thanks to thepinkunicorn


It's 10:30 a.m. and my alarm clock is screaming at me to get up like usual.

I sit up and turn off the damn thing. Slowly, I start to climb out of my nice, warm bed, and start getting dressed into my work clothes. Right when I'm about to lace up my boots, my twin brother, Hunter, comes in and throws a towel at my head.

" It's Reaping Day, you idiot. Mom says to get showers," my brother says as he starts to get changed.

Oh, by the way, I'm Amelia Smith, Hunter's twin. Our parents hate us both, but they pamper our two other brothers. That basically sums up my life.

" Oh, right," I say cracking a smile, trying to lighten the mood. "Blonde moment."

" You have a lot of those," He says, and then finishes getting dressed.

I run into the bathroom to take a nice warm shower. The water relaxes me immensely, and I start to forget that today might be the day I'm shipped off to the Hunger Games. When I'm finished, I dry off and french braid my hair.

When I walk back into my room, I notice Hunter isn't there but in his place there's a new dress. I know my mom left it so I put it on and grab some combat boots.

When I go downstairs, my brothers and my dad are already gone, but my mom is sitting at the table waiting for me.

"Hey, mom, what's up?" I ask, grabbing an apple off the table.

" You're seventeen, correct?" she asks with her cold voice.

" Yeah. So?"

" You're volunteering this year."

I freeze when I hear the words, realizing that the day had come." But mom- " I say quietly, wanting to argue but knowing there is nothing I can do.

" No buts! We are running out of money, and we don't need you anymore."

My breath catches in my throat, and I try to choke back the tears that are coming to my eyes." Yes ma'm," I reply, and I walk out the door towards the Justice Building to check in with the Peace Keepers.

It feels like I'm walking to my execution, which today, I actually am.

Being in District 3, we don't have a lot of kids, so it's a small Reaping.

Some people get on stage and start talking, but I don't pay attention. I just stare at Hunter, who stands by his friends in silence. I'm standing by my friend, Sydney, but I havent told her about volunteering and I don't think I will. There's no use. She'll know soon enough.

" Ladies first," a woman with bright purple hair says brightly as she reaches into the girl's bowl and pulls out a paper. " Amelia Smith," she reads out slowly, enunciating her words carefully

I hear Sydney scream next to me, but I don't care. I can't care where I'm going. As I start to walk towards the stage, I cant help but start crying.

When I get up on stage, I look over at my brothers. Hunter's crying, too, but everyone else in my family is smirking.

" Now for the boys," she said as she reaches into the bowl. All I can hope for is that she doesn't call the name Hunter. My luck seems to be against me as she opens the small slip of paper and reads out in the same precise voice, " Hunter Smith."

When my brother gets up on stage, the lady looks at both of us curiously, and then smiles widely as she yells to the crowd, " It's our lucky year, District Three! We have twin tributes! Do we have any volunteers? No? Good!" the lady quickly rushes us inside, and immediately forces us onto the train.

" Don't we get our goodbyes?!" Hunter screams at the purple-haired woman. We're holding hands, and I'm so scared that if I let go I may lose him, too.

"We paid your parents so we could skip the goodbyes. Your mentors will meet you at the Capitol. Good luck!" she says cheerily, then slams the door in our faces.

Pushing back tears, I walk into the train car. There is a nice chandelier and a gold, velvety couch in front of a large television. There's more food on the table in the back of the car than I have ever seen in my whole life. Even though I know I'm being transported to my death, at least I know I'll be well fed. Almost like a pig being sent to the slaughter-house.

As the train starts to move, I run to the window to see my family with their smiling faces,waving us good-bye. They were happy to have me and my brother out of their lives. I wasn't surprised by this fact, but what hurt was when I saw my best friend Sydney being beaten up by a Peace Keeper because she had screamed when my name was called. That one fleeting image hurt me more then anything I could have imagined.

I walk over and sit on the beautiful couch, pulling my knees up to my chest as I do so, purposefully hiding my face as I start to bawl.

Hunter walks over to me and starts stroking my hair like he did when I would come home crying from school. "I promise, Amelia, I won't let anything bad happen to you."

At that very moment I shut my heart off to everyone except my brother. I knew that Hunter needed to win and it was my turn to protect him.

It had been silent for a while, save for my sobs, and I look toward the window to see that we had just left District Four.

A robotic voice resounds through the train car and says, " We will be at the Capitol in four hours. Please watch the other Reapings, and help yourself to the food."

"Well looks like we should get started," Hunter says as he stands up to grab two water bottles and two muffins. He hands me one of each and then turns on the television to start watching the District One reaping.


End file.
